


Tamagotoji

by Starlight_Adventurer



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Romance, Sequel, and dysfunctional, but haha multiple chapter, just two guys being hopelessly in love, this was supposed to be a oneshot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:22:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29436003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlight_Adventurer/pseuds/Starlight_Adventurer
Summary: As the Colony gears up to celebrate Sweet Day, Dunban and Reyn make plans for their own celebration.However, neither of them want to disappoint the other. Both of them scramble to put together the best romantic gift, while keeping it a secret.Named after the song - Sequel to Moments (and Feelings) of Regret (and Love)
Relationships: Dunban/Reyn (Xenoblade Chronicles), Melia Ancient | Melia Antiqua/Fiora
Kudos: 2





	Tamagotoji

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back!
> 
> This was supposed to be a oneshot for Valentine's Day, but things happened and I wanted to make it longer.
> 
> If you haven't read the first story, please do so, but it isn't needed to enjoy this one.

Love was in the air.

Well, it would be more accurate to say that lots of things were in the air. The Colony was gearing up to celebrate something; a fact evidenced by the pastel coloured petals and paper flowers on cords fluttering in the breeze which decorated every surface at that morning’s market. The usual market crowd bustled with a uniquely lovestruck energy, as if everyone there were moments away from swooning.

The atmosphere made it easy for one to be sucked into their own romantic thought-spirals; Dunban found himself watching the couples walking past his view from his perch on an unused crate. It was a comfort to see normalcy in action after everything that had happened. The drivel of day-to-day life was an adventure in itself when someone had gone too long without it. Not that Dunban’s life had gone totally unchanged since…

...well, everything had happened.

Dunban smiled as a pair of Nopon children dashed past his legs, narrowly avoiding a collision with the crate that would have resulted in a pretty nasty accident. He shifted the clipboard in his grip before idly skimming over the neatly handwritten list of supply requests ready to be fulfilled.

There were a lot today, hopefully Reyn wouldn’t mind the extra work.

…

Reyn.

It seemed like an eternity ago that Dunban found himself an unsuspecting cog in a barely functioning ticking time bomb; the deception and avoidance had all been worth it for the moment Reyn had accepted his feelings. In reality, it had been a handful of months since then and very little had changed between them aside from Reyn’s increased presence in his life.

Perhaps it was just the scenery, Dunban felt as if he wasn’t making good on his promise to show the younger man the depth and breadth and maturity of his affection. He was by no means someone to rush things, but progress in their relationship came slowly in the face of the contentment that seeped into any moment they spent together. When everything felt right already was there even a reason to change anything?

“Hey Dunban!”

His eyes were brought away from their hazy focus on the clipboard to trail in the direction of the man running down the path. Reyn stood a head taller than almost every person in the market. He was easy to spot; yet, he still chose to wave while calling, “Dunban!”

Dunban chuckled as he stood up from his seat, dusting off his trousers in the process, while Reyn hurried his way over. Despite being out of breath, the latter nervously chuckled, “Sorry I’m late, old Stache-Face chose this morning for emergency drills. Couldn’t leave the base without completing this weird treasure hunt thing for hidden supplies or something.”

“Well, you can never be too prepared, and the wait gave me time to think,” he consoled while catching Reyn’s gaze. He wondered if anyone had ever told him that he had warm eyes. They reminded him of tea leaves - unassuming at first but soothing and welcoming when given time for the emotions under the surface to stew. ‘Getting lost in his eyes’ couldn't describe the extent to which he fell for their sparkle, their fire, their gentleness - just as he fell for every part of Reyn.

“What are we doing today? Wait, what is all this?” Reyn asked while getting distracted by their surroundings. The paper flower bunting hung inches above his head, swaying slightly in sequence to his breathing. He reached for the decoration before noticing the rest of the market street and the extent of the area’s new features. “Did I miss something?”

“I suppose we both have, this is a mystery to me as well,” Dunban admitted. He smiled at Reyn’s owlish blinking, “They are probably linked to the sudden change in the Colony’s populace this morning.”

Reyn glanced about, eyes trailing across several sets of peoples, before voicing, “Everyone looks the same to me.”

Dunban shook his head and gestured with his clipboard, “It’s not that noticeable, perhaps I’m reading into it too much.” He read over the list once more, “We should get going if we want to finish this before dark.”

“What’s first?” Was asked.

“Oka requested a home visit before our trip today. She wanted to give us something,” he explained. 

Reyn raised an eyebrow but chose to shrug in response. He began to walk away, not looking back as Dunban followed behind, and thought aloud, “Do you think we’ll have time to hang out after work tonight? It’s been a few weeks since we’ve both been free.”

He was right.

Dunban almost laughed at his timing. His heart might as well have been of cotton wool with how Reyn’s musing made it skip a muted beat. To discover that the longing was mutual was a double-edged blade: a comfort in the shared understanding between them while also a twist in an already deep knife. He took a moment to collect himself prior to replying, “If we hurry… There is a chance.”

Reyn’s smile brightened. He broke out into a jog while cheering, “Alright, let’s go!” Dunban chose not to match his pace, finding it pleasant enough to watch his companion get further away. Their day had only just begun and he wanted nothing more than to quit work, pass his duties onto another and give Reyn every ounce of his attention. They could finally go on a date.

Months of dating with no actual dates? Sad but true for them.

Working together to complete supply runs for the Colony as part of Dunban’s schedule were times they spent in each other’s company. However, Dunban knew he had so much more to give. All those months prior to Reyn’s confession had him plan romantic rendezvous aplenty, more than enough to fill a lifetime, felt drowned in the tides of daily monotony. Sweeping someone off their feet was difficult when one didn’t have time to even find the broom. Maybe Dunban could find his broom that evening…

-

“Dundun! Dundun! Dundun!” The chanting was louder once the door opened.

Reyn had knocked on Riki’s door, expecting one of the adult Nopon to answer, and was greeted by several crashes proceeding the yells of small Nopon children. Dunban joined him moments later as the door clicked open, swinging lazily into the wall, to reveal Riki’s slumped over form. He laid motionless in the doorway, unaffected by the chaos occurring just beyond the entryway. The Homs pair stood over him, catching each other’s eyes after a moment, with another loud bang prompting Reyn to awkwardly ask, “You first?” The older man shook his head and took the invitation while Reyn picked up Riki’s unconscious body, tucking him under his arm for the time being. 

They stepped into what could easily be mistaken for the aftermath of a tornado; paper was laid out across much of the floor, crayons strewn about the remaining space, with several Nopon chasing each other amongst the mess. A second crash sounded from the adjacent room and brought all movement to a halt when footsteps followed it.

Oka waddled out of the doorway to survey the chaos. Her stern expression had the young Nopon scrambling to dirty up while Reyn dropped his friend onto a nearby chair. That same hard stare brightened upon catching sight of him and she greeted, “Reyn, Dundun, you came. It is relief Riki remembered to tell you, between all his lazy naps. I have gift for you to have for Sweet Day.”

“Sweet Day?” Dunban questioned as he followed her back into the other room. Reyn stayed behind when the children started playing for his attention. The pair entered the kitchen. It was room in much the same disarray as the main room, but Oka was clearly cooking something if the pan set to boil over on the stove was any indication. A sweet smell filtered through the air, it was close to sugar but held a slightly warmer quality. The various plates full of unfamiliar, very likely Nopon, pastries clued Dunban into the source of the pleasant aroma. Given the number of Riki’s children being high, from a Hom’s perspective, the number of them made sense, but he wondered why she was still cooking.

“Dundun look confused,” Oka voiced as she gathered some of the pastries into a round container.

Dunban steered his gaze towards her. She had yet to look up from her work, yet he still knew she was listening when he responded, “Pardon the question, but is this normal? There seems to be enough food here to feed the entire Colony.”

“That is funny, but Dundun is mistaken. Oka feed loved ones for Sweet Day, no one else,” she countered, sealing the container and stepping away from the kitchen counter.

“Sweet Day…” Dunban hummed the name. It was a simple phrase that didn’t say much about itself other than it was a date connected to confections. The bluntness of it was rather charming, much like someone he knew.

“Oh yes, Nopon celebrate Sweet Day by giving friends and family sweet treats to enjoy. Then we spend a day with specialpon - a sweet treat to ourselves,” Oka explained. She gestured for him to take the container, “Children made you gifts, these from me and hubbypon.”

“Thank you,” he said as he carefully took the object. There was a pause before Dunban continued thoughtfully, “I suppose Sweet Day is the cause of the market’s makeover.”

“Exactly, Homhoms like the idea of Sweet Day, so everyone joining in,” she added.

Everyone?

Reyn’s surprised yelp came from the other room. They both turned to watch him enter the kitchen with the children clinging onto him as he shuffled along the floor. The littlepons giggled at his attempt to shake them off, resulting in his defeated huff. Reyn left them alone to glance at the other adults in the room before asking, “Did I miss something?”

Dunban chuckled as he watched one of the littlepons grab Reyn’s shoulders, almost pulling him over. His annoyance was a facade; Reyn’s eyes glowed with mirth when another littlepon started swinging on his outstretched arm. He looked at home amongst all of the merriment. It had been too long since he’d seen that smile when it was just the two of them, alone, peaceful and content in each other’s company.

“Are you doing something for Sweet Day with Reyn?” Oka asked, breaking him out of his stare.

Dunban internally sighed. If only he could say ‘yes’...

...why couldn’t he?

-

They finished early that day through a combination of Dunban’s focused leadership and Reyn’s overeagerness. The gold and amber light of evening peaked past the crest of the hill overlooking the Colony as they made their way to Dunban’s home.

The click of the front door closing behind them was closely followed by Fiora’s voice from the kitchen, “Dunban, is that you?”

“Yes, I’m home and I brought company this evening. I hope you won’t mind feeding one more,” Dunban replied while he walked further into the house. He set his capelet aside neatly as Reyn wandered into the kitchen.

“Reyn! Don’t scare me like that!” Fiora yelled over Reyn’s laughter-filled apology.

Dunban ignored their shenanigans in favour of sitting in one of their comfortable chairs. A day’s worth of stress and tension melted away into the plush seat as he sank further into it. It was true that Reyn made the work easier with his assistance, but supply runs for the Colony were too taxing to begin with. However, his main source of concern strayed away from his duties. 

Oka’s question had replayed in his mind several times throughout the day. What if they did something for Sweet Day? They could spend a day together, just the two of them, partaking in whatever romantic activity he could conjure up in the next few days.

A walk across the hills…

Dinner by candlelight…

Sharing a night together…

The perfect day to make Reyn fall in love with him all over again, that was something Dunban could do.

\---

Fiora silently fumed as she checked on her soup - it hadn’t spilled everywhere. Reyn’s sudden arrival had startled her enough that she came close to running that night’s dinner. It had taken hours for the soup to stew properly, hours wasted if it had-

She sighed.

Reyn, after playing his part in the near-accident, had chosen to lean against a nearby counter, arms crossed loosely over his chest while his back pressed gently into the surface behind it. His meek grin was accompanied by a weak apology before he sparked up a conversation, “Hey Fiora, you know anything about why the market looks like that?”

“Like what?” Fiora asked as she took the pot off the stove.

“Like someone let Riki’s kids loose on it,” Reyn elaborated, gesturing uselessly to the side.

She turned away from the cooling food to focus on him. Her raised eyebrow said enough, without her even needing to ask, “Did you not visit Oka this morning? I know she wanted to give you two your Sweet Day gifts, I thought she would have been more than happy to explain anything about how the Nopon celebrate it.”

“Sweet Day?” Came Reyn’s short response.

“Did she not tell you what the gifts were for?” Fiora’s brows furrowed more when he shook his head, “Maybe she told Dunban and you didn’t hear it… That’s alright, I can just pass on what she told me the other day when I asked about it.”

Not stopping her work in serving dinner, Fiora continued, “Sweet Day is a Nopon celebration. It’s when they show each other how much they care about one another through sharing sweet foods - like cakes. Then people in relationships spend the entire day together, as they are sweet for each other.” She finished with a short laugh when Reyn’s expression grew uncomfortable at her wording.

“What’s that all got to do with the market looking like that?” A sensible question made less serious by the person asking it.

“They’re just to get everyone in the spirit to celebrate, I suppose,” Fiora answered truthfully, a hint of uncertainty trailing at the end of her words. A reflective silence fell over them while she finished spooning the soup into bowls. Three identical servings with leftovers which wouldn’t remain leftovers if Reyn’s usual appetite was anything to go by. 

She glanced at her friend to find him staring intently at the wall separating the kitchen from the main room. Ignoring the food, Fiora took a step forward to wave a hand in front of Reyn’s face, effectively snapping him out of his apparent staring contest with a layer of stone. The blinking directed at her made Fiora voice her inner concern, “Is something the matter? You were staring at nothing.”

“Huh?” Reyn blurted out, his voice distant and airy.

There was pause before Fiora clarified, “Did something happen between you two earlier? You’re not usually this distracted.”

“Yeah, no, sorry,” he answered uselessly prior to sighing. Reyn took a peak at the wall, finding it identical to the view from a few moments before, “Are you and Melia doing something for Sweet Day?”

“We’re going to exchange gifts at the viewpoint overlooking the Colony. I’m making her chocolate bonbons, but please don’t tell her,” Fiora conspiractally informed with a smile. Reyn chuckled, slightly shaking his head, to which she joined in for a few moments. Then, after the laughter died down, she tilted her head to the side and asked, “What about you two?”

Reyn’s disheartened expression was all she needed in reply.

“Oh Reyn, I’m Dunban has something wonderful planned. He’s always been a big romantic,” she tried to console.  
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he muttered, slumping against the counter. “I’ve got nothing and he’s got everything figured out. He deserves better than whatever I could come up with.”

Fiora reached up to pinch his cheeks, similar to how a grandma would do it to her grandchildren, and scolded, “Stop that right now. You’re a fun person whom my brother loves very much, and you can sweep him off his feet just as much as he can for you.”

“But how?” Reyn winced, making no attempt to save himself.

“I can help you make Dunban’s favourite dessert,” Fiora answered while flashing a grin that made Reyn’s stomach plummet towards the floor.

-

“Goodnight Reyn, see you tomorrow,” Fiora bade him farewell from the lit doorway. The house’s honey-coloured glow was a beacon in the pale silver glow of the moon. The night air’s bite felt smoother as Reyn stood on the edge of the house’s warmth.

He waved over Dunban’s shoulder before turning to the man in front of him. His companion watched him with distant eyes, simultaneous observing and looking far beyond him. Reyn reached out to gently clasp his shoulder. When Dunban startled, he asked, “Something the matter? You’ve been quiet this whole time.”

“Yes,” Dunban replied, almost too quickly, “Just thinking about how much I dislike seeing you leave.”

Reyn felt his cheeks heat up. Thinking on his feet, he ducked his head and mumbled, “You don’t have to say that. It’s not like you won’t be seeing me soon.”

“And when will I see you again?” Dunban shot back. Reyn’s frazzled brain failed to pick up on the smugness lighting up his tone. The older man stepped closer then carefully took his wrist in his hand, “Are you free on Sweets Day?”

“Of course!” Reyn agreed immediately, making the other man chuckle.

“That’s settled then. I’ll see you then,” Dunban finished by pressing a kiss onto the inside of Reyn’s wrist. A subtle smile graced his features when Reyn’s blush deepened and he hastily broke free to cradle the affection marked appendage.

“Yeah, you will, see me then,” Reyn floundered while Dunban turned to go back inside. Still holding it, he raised his arm to send the other man a short wave as he closed the door.

After casting one last glance towards the house, Reyn began to walk along the path towards the Colony Defence Force’s barracks. He sighed and stared at his wrist. Now he was certain that Dunban had already planned out everything for Sweets Day; there was no way, in his mind, that someone could be that suave without having an airtight plan behind them. On the other hand, he had nothing…

...yet.

Fiora was confident in her abilities of teaching him how to cook, but Reyn himself wasn’t so sure. He usually had a way of messing things up; given his luck, it was very likely that cooking would just be another part of life where his clumsy and brash habits played into whatever disaster awaited him.

However, Reyn was not someone others would describe as a coward. If cooking was the way to display his…

...um, his…

Affection!

If cooking was the way to display his affection for Dunban then he would give it his all, and maybe more, and nothing was going to get in his way!

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter done!
> 
> I love them both so much and they love each other so much. Two dork in love~
> 
> Please tell me what you think by commenting! I really enjoy heairng from people.


End file.
